Thomas hipwell



(No Model.)

HIPWELL.

LAMP.

Patented Oct. 28, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

THOMAS HIPVELL, OF ALLEGHENY, ASSIGNOR TO THE PITTSBURGH BRASS COMPANY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

LAM P.

PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,593, dated October 28, `1890. Application filed February 3, 1890. Serial No. 339,110. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS HIPWELL, a resident of Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new` and useful Improvement in Lamps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,4clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to what are known as xo central-draft lamps;7 and its object is to provide a Wick-raising device for these lamps by which the wick may be held in whatever position is desired, maybe moved forthe entire length of the wick, may be fed in a spiral course and so overcome any resistance to its movement, and in which there is no clamping or compressing of the wick, so as to interfere with the capillary action thereof.

My invention has special reference to that zo class of wick-raising devices in which a ring or wheel having its inner edge serrated is mounted around the central draft-tube in an inclined position and with one of its inclined sides close to the tube, so that it may engage with the wick surrounding the tube and so feed it in au upward or downward spiral course.

The object of my invention is to improve the class of wick-raising devices in the mount- 3o ing and operating of the wheel and in other particulars, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

To enable others skilled in the art tov make and use my invention, I will describe the same 3 5 more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional view of va lamp, showing the operation of the wick-raiser. Fig. 2 is a topzview of the wick-raiser. 3 is a 4o view of one of the serrated wheels, and Fig.

4 is a perspective view' of the frame for carrying two wheels. :Y

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each. Y

The fount a of the lamp can be of any form desired, that shown being afount for a standing or like lamp and being placed in the ornamental bowl thereof. The central draft-tube Z) extends up within the fount in the usual way. Secured within the upper part of the fount-body around the tube b is the annular ring c, this ring being placed at an angle corresponding to the spiral course in which the wick is to be fed around the tube b and being placed eccentric to the tube, so that one 5 5 of the inclined sides ofthe ring is closer to the tube than the other side. This ring is secured in place by Soldering it in the upper end of the bowl just below the outer wicktube. This ring forms the bearing for the 6o wick-feeding wheel d, which is also madeannular and has the serrated inner edge e and the cog-gear f around its outer edge, the wheel being flat and the cog-gear being formed around itsperiphery. Bythe term serrated Imean any suitable form of roughened or uneven edge which will engage with the wick and impart to it the motion of the wheel.

The supporting ring or frame c has the annular flange g around its outer edge, within 7o which ange the wheel d is supported against side movement, and the lips 7L, which extend onto the opposite side of the wheel and so hold it against the face of the wheel d. The lips h may, if desired7 have a slight spring, 75 and so prevent any rattling or vertical movement of the feeding-wheel. The ring c is cut away at one point, as at t', so as to expose the gear-edge f of the feeding-wheel, and the pinion 7o engages with this geanedge and rotates 8o the feeding-wheel within its frame, so causing the feeding-wheel to travel around the tube Z) in an eccentric course thereto, and the serrated edge e thereof travels in an inclined course close to the tube on one side thereof, 8 5 and enters into the wick Z around the tube and -imparts thereto a spiral movement corresponding to the incline of the feeding-wheel. As, however, the inner serrated edge of the feeding-wheel is of greater diameter than the 9o tube and wick, it only engages with the wick on that one side of the tube,-there being sufficient space between the other parts of the wheels andthe wick to permit the free passage of the wick.

In the term pinion isincluded any wheel adapted to engage with the feeding-wheel and impart a rotary motion thereto, whether it be gear-face, worm-face, or of other suitable construction. The pinion k is secured roo to a shaft passing through a bearing 7u on the top of the lamp-fount and having a thumbpiece k2 for turning the pinion.

The single feeding-wheel is sufficient for all ordinary sizes of lamps ;but for mammoth lamps employing a wick two inches or more in diameter I prefer to employ two feedingwheels, as shown in the drawings. In such case the supporting-frame is generally con xo structed as shown, ringm for the second feeding-wheel n being set at the same incline as the ring c, but with the inclined face close to the central draft-tube on the opposite side to that of the ringo, so that as the feeding-wheel d engages with one side the feeding-wheel n engages with the opposite side of the wick, and as the two feeding-wheels are inclined in opposite directions, but at the same angle, I obtain the same feeding action on both sides eoof the wick. The rings-aand m are secured together by suitable joints p at the points where they approach each other, and are also connected by the straps r, so that the ring 'm is suspended fromthering c, the whole form- 2 5 ing a rigid and durable bearing or housing forthe feeding-wheels. The ring 'm is also cut away at the point s, so as to expose the gear-edge of the feeding-wheel n, and the pinion k also engages with this gear-edge and so 3o rotates both feeding-wheels at the same time.

The operation of the wick-raiser is-as follows: The wick is placed around the central draft-tube and slipped down until it reaches the feeding-wheel, and upon turning this into the wick and imparts to it a downward spiral movement around the wick-tube, so carrying it down into the lamp for part or 4o all of its-length. The Wick can thus be raised and lowered, as may be desired. As the wick is a cylinder corresponding to the central draft-.tube and its movement is in a spiral course, and as it is not confined entirely around the tube during its movement, .it is foundthat though it be started crooked over the tube it is free to assume its natural position, and hence when its top edge is brought even with that of the central draft-tube it is 5o generally` even and requires practically no trimming.

In the feeding of the wick the spiral movement thereof enables it to force its way more easily and overcome any crust formed from the burning of the oil at the top of the tubes, and as the feeding-wheel engages with the wick near its top edge there is no liability of the buckling of the wick in feeding, while the. wick may be fed upward for its entire 6o length. The wick is not compressed or confined at any point, as in the ordinary wickraiser, and consequently there is no interference with the capillary action of the oil or its free iiow to the burner. At the same time, as the feeding-wheel which bites into the wick is supported in a rigid frame, there is no liability of the wick falling or slipping down the tube when soaked with oil, a difticulty with all wick-raisers depending only upon friction for support. Where the two feeding-wheels are employed the action is practically the same as where one is employed, and for large wicks a support is obtained on both sides thereof and all liability of sagging overcome.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In lamps, the combination, with the central tube, of an annular frame surrounding the same and secured at an angle thereto within the lamp-fount and having an annular tiange extending out therefrom and lips eX- tending inwardly from said iiange, and a flat annular feeding-wheel having a serrated inner edge, said wheel heilig mounted inthe frame within the annular flange and being held within the frame by said inwardly-extending lips, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In lamps, the combination, with the central tube, of an annular frame c, surrounding the same-and secured at' an'angle within the lampfountand having an annular flange g around its edge, said iiange being cutaway as at t', the dat annular feeding-wheel d, having a serrated inner edge andageared outer edge or periphery f, said wheel being mounted in the frame and having itsA geared edge exposedat said cut-away portion, and a pinion engaging with the feeding-wheel at said cutaway portion of` the frame, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

3. In lamps, the combination, with the eentral tube, of two annular feeding-wheels sur rounding the sameand set at opposite in clines thereto, said wheels having serrated inner edges close to the central tube on opposite sides thereof, respectively, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In lamps, the co1nbination,with the central tube, of the frame surrounding the same formed of the ring c and ring m, said rings being set at an angle to each other, the feeding-wheels (Z n, mounted in said rings, andthe pinion 7c, engaging with the edges of said wheels, substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

In testimony whereot" l, the said THOMAS HIPWELL, have hereunto set myhand.

THOMAS I-IIPWELL.

Witnesses:

J. N. COOKE, ROBT. D. TOTTEN,

IOO

IIO 

